Whether in the collegiate or professional ranks, it feels like more and more North Carolina natives seem to emerge each year. As we’ve stated in previous articles, so much of development is contingent on time, resources, and work ethic. Although there are several examples worth highlighting, Donovan Atwell has been as impressive as anyone. Now making noise as arguably the top three-point shooter in the nation, consider the path that Atwell took to get to this point. Going from being a sniper in middle school to an elite high school shooter to now warranting attention from NBA teams has been truly incredible to watch. Let’s take a closer look at how Atwell is separating himself…
It’s fascinating to see the sheer number of high-level shooters to come through college basketball over the last twenty or so years. Since 2005-06, Atwell is one of 96 players who attempted eight or more three-pointers per game, shot at least 40% from beyond the arc, and played 700 minutes in a season. Pretty expected, right? Adding in the “turnover percentage less than 4%” qualifier, and suddenly Atwell becomes the only player ever to reach this milestone. Doubling the turnover percentage to 8% and the list is still only 11 total players.
What these numbers reveal is less about the other players and more about Atwell’s elite skill—three-point shooting. He clearly knows who he is as a player and exactly what he wants to do on the court. Atwell takes an insanely low number of two-point attempts (0.7 per game), yet still has no issue absolutely dismantling defenses from beyond the arc. This can be somewhat of a double-edged sword to the naked eye. Although he has incredible shooting numbers, Atwell will likely need to show NBA teams a little bit more of his ability off the bounce. Specialization is rapidly becoming less and less common. Everyone is expected to do more. However, it’s worth noting that this is his best defensive season yet. His identity as a low-maintenance sniper who defends, understands spacing and gravity, and can already move extremely well without the ball should certainly appeal to teams in the upcoming draft.